Life Still Danced In Your Eyes
by triffickie
Summary: [femslash, beatrixlani] Lani had been the one to suggest it, the practise on a gentle summer day.


**life still danced in your eyes** written for LJ user wildcherries, for the Livejournal community ff_drabble's FF Ficathon.   
_rating_: PG   
_fandom_: final fantasy ix   
_pairing_: beatrix/lani   
_warnings_: femslash   
_disclaimer_: square-enix's, not mine.   
_notes_: First up a big shout-out to the three Kates who made this fic better than I could've made it by myself; phoenixst, kaedabean (on LJ) and rubykate (on LJ), thank you all for your wonderful beta-reading and making me feel good about this fic. I really wasn't sure how to write it, but hopefully you, wildcherries, are satisfied with the result. (Posting this now, because I forgot to post yesterday.) Title from Kent's "Heavenly Junkies". 

Lani had been that one to suggest it, the practice on the gentle summer day. She'd had that strange dark twinkle in her eye and Beatrix never knew whether to trust it or not. She went along because it was Lani and everything with Lani was fun. They trained daily, of course, but this time, as Lani whispered to Beatrix late the night before, "practice will be fun and games". 

They lived at a training facility. Some might call it an army base or camp, but no one did, because training facility felt like a better term for it. The large house with the rooms that people would sleep in and huge gardens that were filled with the loveliest of flowers; it felt more like a summer camp or a boarding school. 

Trained for the Queen's court. To protect their beloved kingdom, to serve the Queen and the people of the kingdom. 

Beatrix's heart swelled up every time they had their ritualistic celebrations. Standing in perfectly organized lines, they held their swords in the honor of the Queen and the kingdom of Alexandria. Duty, honor, knightship - Beatrix valued nothing more. 

Lani was different; she had different motives for achieving what they both wanted to, but still they had pursued the same dream. Beatrix wondered sometimes, if their dreams were, in the end, similar or different from each other. 

The garden smelled of roses as they walked through it to a small field meant for practicing. The lawn was yellow after a long dry period and Lani would kick at it while Beatrix would stare at the grass as it flew gently in the air for a moment. 

That was all the preparation they needed. 

Lani used a sword, just like Beatrix. But unlike Lani's, whose sword was wide and shiny, the blade ready to cut just about anything, Beatrix's sword was old and dull. It was her father's old one and honoring that, she treated it with delicate care. The clank of her old sword against Lani's wide, shiny one always sent chills down her spine. She wondered if it was the sound of blade against blade or just the thrilling sensation that came from fighting someone you knew and trusted. Someone who was a friend. 

They moved gracefully that day, their movements sharp, but smooth.   
Beatrix imagined she was battling in front line - protecting the kingdom that was hers to protect. She wanted to seem honorable, but when she held her nose up a little while trying to ooze that royal grace she wished to gain in the Queen's guard, Lani just laughed. 

"Stop playing, Bea." 

"But it is just a game, after all," Beatrix replied with a calm smile. 

"Do you want to play for real?" Lani grinned mischievously. 

Tempted by the offer, but at the same time very hesitant about it, Beatrix shook her head. 

"No, let's just continue." 

And they did. That long summer day they practiced. The sounds of their swords clanking against one another died down as the evening came. 

Beatrix was on the balcony, leaning against the stone wall of the training facility, and she figured the nights were always prettier than the days that followed. She felt a light touch against her shoulder and soon Lani's chocolate-colored arms were wrapped around her and Lani's chin rested against her shoulder. 

"Are you cold?" 

Beatrix shook her head. 

"No, I'm fine. It's a beautiful night," she said and the arms tightened around her. 

"Yes, beautiful." 

Lani buried her face into Beatrix's neck, the brown hair curling into tight locks at the ends. Lani moved Beatrix's hair aside and the other woman tensed, but pretended not to notice. Lani's lips, maybe accidentally, brushed against the bare skin of Beatrix's neck. Then there was a small flick of Lani's tongue, darting out of her mouth and touching the skin and Beatrix knew Lani had crossed a line there. 

She also knew Lani had enjoyed crossing that line. Just doing it was enough pleasure for Lani. 

She knew Lani, never as well as she would've liked to, but she knew her all the same. 

She had been six years old when they first met, standing outside of her house, looking at the small stones on the sidewalk and kicking them around in boredom. She had been waiting for the young men, the future knights of Alexandria, to walk past her and then she would've had followed them in silence to watch them train with wooden swords and shields that were just the lids of barrels. 

This time she hadn't caught the future soldiers walking past her. She'd spotted a girl with dark skin and sparkling eyes climbing over a fence into someone's garden. She'd quickly run to peek over the fence to see what the girl had been doing. Beatrix'd seen her snatch a few red apples from the huge apple tree and then make her escape through the back of the garden. Without thinking twice, Beatrix'd decided to follow the girl. 

She'd caught the girl just outside their village, eating the apples she'd previously stolen. Without saying a word, the girl had given Beatrix an apple and they'd eaten their apples in silence. Then Beatrix had asked the girl her name and why did she steal, was she very poor and the girl had told her, Lani and because it was fun and no, she wasn't poor, she just wanted adventure. 

Beatrix told Lani about her own adventures, how she watched the soldiers train and how she would become one when she grew up, carrying a heavy sword and being so powerful even most men would be scared of her. 

"You're only six, it's not very likely you could ever kill a man!" Lani exclaimed, and Beatrix insisted that someday she would be that strong and terrible. Lani laughed and said she wouldn't get anywhere if she just watched the training sessions. 

Beatrix had told Lani all her dreams about Alexandria and living in the city and serving the Majesty. Lani hadn't laughed. 

So they'd grown up together, dreaming their dreams and wondering what was on the other end of the rainbow. The one where there wasn't a treasure. Lani would never go to that end, she loved treasures, but Beatrix might, if it tickled her interest enough. If Lani would come with her. 

They were different, yes. But had things changed? Had they really changed? Not so much, no. 

Lani's hands were gently moving against Beatrix's hips and they both shivered; maybe it was a bit cold. Beatrix remembered that Lani's touches always lingered like this; staying a bit longer than they were perhaps meant to. She was eager to know how much longer this one would go on. 

But it didn't last and Beatrix thought that maybe it was best that way. Lani pulled away and went inside, mumbling her goodnights on her way in and left Beatrix alone and shivering. But it felt nice. 

The clank of their swords, the rust on hers, the apples and the gentle, but cold summer night breeze, all had something to do with something important. Perhaps they were signs or signals. Or just reminders, notes. A puzzle. 

A promise that maybe, just maybe, Lani's touch would linger on her skin a while longer tomorrow night. 

Whatever was at the other end of the rainbow. 


End file.
